# Gum Chewers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 26, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562 "2010-06-26T02:55:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/101 "2010-07-02T19:12:23Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Well, my right wrist and elbow have no mobility this morning, so off to the ER. ☹ That’s what you get for punching Mothr Earth with your face you big meanie. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/102 "2010-07-02T19:14:55Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Sorry you crashed your bike, Stan. That sucks. > > But your pitting of all gum-chewers is _way_ over the top. > [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I’m sorry you got injured, but I think your anger is misplaced. Nah… ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/103 "2010-07-02T20:53:11Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Right into the trash? Ew! I always put my gum into a napkin or a piece of paper first so it won’t stick to the trash can liner. Uh…why? The garbage bag ends up in exactly the same place as the garbage in it, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/104 "2010-07-02T20:56:40Z")
Starting with uh is almost as annoying as starting with um. Alllllmost. Just sayin’ In a setting where there is mostly paper in the trash (an office, for instance) they don’t always change the trash liner. Sometimes they just dump the can into a larger bin. Also, sometimes (especially outside trash cans) there is no liner at all so it would just be stuck on the side of the trash can until end times. Either way, I’ve gotten into the habit which seems to suit whichever trashcan situation I find myself presented with. Why yes, I do have a Joan-Crawfordish tendency toward hyper cleanliness, why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/105 "2010-07-02T23:15:57Z")
I believe we have found our culprit. [gum chewer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sCvXi8G1NU) ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/106 "2010-07-04T15:33:15Z")
> [@descamisado](#): > > It was wire-mesh street trash can and, praise be to her, she held her head over the can and it went pretty much into the middle of the trash. And two minutes later **Stan** came careening into the trash can. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/107 "2010-07-06T20:22:08Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > We just don’t _like_ you very much. Yeah, I get that a lot. > [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Because we like girls who swallow and not spit. When it comes to gum, I usually swallow. I just wasn’t sure how someone was supposed to know I was swallowing my gum–the occasions when I spit it into the trash seem a lot more obvious. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/108 "2010-07-07T17:55:09Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > I pit gum chewers. … > > 1. Most of You are as bad as smokers, who treat the world as your ashtray, tossing your gum on the ground the moment you are done with it. > I can forgive numbers one through four, well, maybe not number four, but number five is the last straw. > > Riding home on my bicycle from the grocery store, with a backpack full of groceries, my front tire picked up one of your disgusting wads that you saw fit to spit into the middle of the street, and brought my front wheel to a dead halt when your offal wedged between my tire and fork, causing me to pitch over the bars. > Wise up. People with class and breeding don’t chew gum. It is a filthy habit, practiced by low types. If you must constantly do something with your mouth, I suggest you take up smoking, at least the rest of us will get some tax revenue. I have never been thrown off my bicycle by a cigarette butt, and there is the added benefit that you will die sooner and the planet will be rid of your sorry, orally fixated ass. Alternatively, you can suck my dick. > > Gum. I hope you choke on it. > > And you broke most of my eggs. Nice rant, but what the sort of bike stops like that just from a weak ass piece of gum? I don’t chew gum, but I may start. I already quit smoking (for now), so you can get your dumb ass punitive taxes off someone else. But then you probably would cry that I’m destroying your air or something. Meanwhile, you know what grinds MY gears? Fucking bike riders. Everywhere, expecting walkers to magically know where they are and jump out of their way, as if they own the sidewalk. With their stupid foofy little helmets and their fruity “bike shorts” and their “better than you” attitude. Maybe I should carry gum for the next asswipe that glares at me for being on his sidewalk. Mmmmmmm gum. next time look where the fuck you’re going maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/109 "2010-07-07T18:23:47Z")
Thanks for bumping this thread. It made my brain go, “Ooh, gum!” so I pulled a stick out of my purse and am now happily chewing away at the minty goodness. (Mouth closed, no popping, kthx.) ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/110 "2010-07-07T18:24:13Z")
I’m with you on the gum smackers, that’s just nasty. Spitting your gum on the street, also gross. You are aware, I hope, that the most gum chewers are children. Yeah, they are naturally nasty, and love the gross, so good luck with changing that any time soon. I’m not buying that gum stopped your bike though, sorry. It’s not because I feel you are a notorious liar, I don’t hardly know you, after all. It’s just not really that likely to me. You got yourself a fancy, expensive, some would say pretentious, high tech bike, and today you fell off of it. Having invested so much, in the bike, I can understand that you are, perhaps, over invested, in your opinion of yourself as a flawless rider, as well. Those high tech bikes are pretty touchy, the slightest pebble can make them off kilter. I’m thinking it’s just possible that a couple of things happened at, or immediately after, the gum was hit. Like perhaps, seeing the disgusting gum on your expensive bike, distracted your awesome biking concentration, for a second or so. Pebble or irregularity in the roadway, and BAM, you’re licking pavement. I have to agree that, if hitting a wad of gum, sends you flying, you’re not doing it right. Having said all of that, maybe it’s just me but, seriously, a script for Vicodan for a tumble off a bike and a shiner? That’s crazy talk. Were you sobbing and weeping? Ten years olds do worse, every damn day, and get up and carry on. Only in America, I say, would a Dr give someone Vicodan for a bike tumble. Anyway, hope you’re feeling better soon, and not because you’ve got a belly full of prescription drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/111 "2010-07-14T04:28:24Z")
> [@Heropsychodreamer](#): > > Were you wearing a helmet? I never wear a helmet. > [@SteveG1](#): > > Nice rant, but what the sort of bike stops like that just from a weak ass piece of gum? A semi-hardened piece of gum that wedges between my tire and fork. > [@](#): > > I don’t chew gum, but I may start. I already quit smoking (for now), so you can get your dumb ass punitive taxes off someone else. But then you probably would cry that I’m destroying your air or something. Meanwhile, you know what grinds MY gears? Fucking bike riders. Yes, you are so objective! > [@](#): > > Everywhere, expecting walkers to magically know where they are and jump out of their way, as if they own the sidewalk. With their stupid foofy little helmets and their fruity “bike shorts” and their “better than you” attitude. > Maybe I should carry gum for the next asswipe that glares at me for being on his sidewalk. You sound like a rational person. > [@](#): > > Mmmmmmm gum. next time look where the fuck you’re going maybe. Yes, I will spend my time looking for a small wad of gum on the street, while douchebags like you are gunning for me in you cars. Yes, I will do that. > [@elbows](#): > > I’m with you on the gum smackers, that’s just nasty. > > Spitting your gum on the street, also gross. You are aware, I hope, that the most gum chewers are children. Yeah, they are naturally nasty, and love the gross, so good luck with changing that any time soon. The incident did occur in front of an elementary school. > [@](#): > > I’m not buying that gum stopped your bike though, sorry. It’s not because I feel you are a notorious liar, I don’t hardly know you, after all. It’s just not really that likely to me. You got yourself a fancy, expensive, some would say pretentious, high tech bike, and today you fell off of it. Having invested so much, in the bike, I can understand that you are, perhaps, over invested, in your opinion of yourself as a flawless rider, as well. Those high tech bikes are pretty touchy, the slightest pebble can make them off kilter. I’m thinking it’s just possible that a couple of things happened at, or immediately after, the gum was hit. Like perhaps, seeing the disgusting gum on your expensive bike, distracted your awesome biking concentration, for a second or so. Pebble or irregularity in the roadway, and BAM, you’re licking pavement. Wow. That is a lot of asinine supposition! One of the things that riders realize is that it pays to be on the alert. Yes I have a very nice bike. Is that a problem for you? Do you have some problem that you are hurt by the fact that many people can afford things that you can not? > [@](#): > > I have to agree that, if hitting a wad of gum, sends you flying, you’re not doing it right. Even if it is a hardened piece of gum that wedged itself between the tire and fork, which is on my bike a very narrow clearance. > [@](#): > > Having said all of that, maybe it’s just me but, seriously, a script for Vicodan for a tumble off a bike and a shiner? That’s crazy talk. Were you sobbing and weeping? Ten years olds do worse, every damn day, and get up and carry on. Only in America, I say, would a Dr give someone Vicodan for a bike tumble. Yeah, people with painful injuries should be denied medication. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > Anyway, hope you’re feeling better soon, and not because you’ve got a belly full of prescription drugs. Doing somewhat better, but my wrist and arm are still pretty fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/112 "2010-07-14T04:51:35Z")
Look, between all the people who’ve posted in this thread, I’d say we have a collective, oh, 500 years of bike riding experience. And we’ve never, ever heard of a piece of gum stopping a bike so forcefully that it flipped the rider over the handlebars. What happened to you, if it indeed happened that way was a freak occurrence. Some people win the lottery, you flip your bike. Move on, internalize the lesson and buy a quality bike next time, i.e. one that will win a fight with a piece of gum. Also, wear your helmet. What are you, an idiot? ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/113 "2010-07-14T05:24:49Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Also, wear your helmet. What are you, an idiot? Yes. Although a lifetime of head injuries would explain a lot of his behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/114 "2010-07-14T08:49:53Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Look, between all the people who’ve posted in this thread, I’d say we have a collective, oh, 500 years of bike riding experience. And we’ve never, ever heard of a piece of gum stopping a bike so forcefully that it flipped the rider over the handlebars. What happened to you, if it indeed happened that way was a freak occurrence. Some people win the lottery, you flip your bike. Move on, internalize the lesson and buy a quality bike next time, i.e. one that will win a fight with a piece of gum. > > Also, wear your helmet. What are you, an idiot? Well, studies show that wearing a helmet is pretty much useless. And if you want to believe that a hardened wad of gum can’t stop your wheel, I could not care less! It did to mine, wedging itself between the tire and the top of the fork. Fascinating that you all seem to get off denying this. Again, I could give a fuck what you think! I have provided photographic evidence of this gum all over my bike. As far as buying a quality bike, as the photos must show, this is a top end carbon frame bike. 500 years? Whatever. I have around 5000 miles of cycling experience, and I will say that I have never experienced this kind of wreck. I was quite surprised to find out the reason for my fall. Nonetheless, it happened just as I have related it here. Just as every account I have ever posted here happened. I don’t give a fuck if I am believed or not. That is the concern of the idiots that challenge my accounts. I have never exaggerated or fabricated one thing on this board in all the time I have been here. What you believe is your concern, not mine. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/115 "2010-07-14T09:39:20Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Well, studies show that wearing a helmet is pretty much useless. Care to back that up with cites? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/116 "2010-07-14T12:08:07Z")
Your bike lost to a piece of gum. Regardless of its other qualities, it cannot be a top end bike. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/117 "2010-07-14T12:13:56Z")
WHo’s to say it was one piece of gum? Many kids who chew that crud stuff at least 3 pieces of bubble gum into their mouths at once. I’ve seen pond size wads of gum on the sidewalk - ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/118 "2010-07-14T12:23:27Z")
What a great story. Have you considered writing a book? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/119 "2010-07-14T12:58:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Yeah, people with painful injuries should be denied medication. Who said any such thing? Way to make a giant leap. But really, wouldn’t a couple of ibruprofen have done the job? I mean, seriously, a tumble off a bike and a shiner and you need vicodan? What the hell kind of Dr prescribes such a heavy drug for such a thing? You didn’t require stitches, or break anything, so this truly baffles me. No wonder your country has such a problem with abuse/addiction to prescription drugs. Talk about your Dr Feelgood. Glad to hear your feeling better, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562/120 "2010-07-14T13:01:44Z")
It wasn’t gum. It was solidified karma. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gum-chewers/544562.md?page=7)